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Author Notes:German classics take the form of an Italian bread salad—because a pretzel has been made into a hot dog bun and a croissant but rarely a salad, though it's up for the cause. It can stay soft on the inside while toasting on the outside, it takes to liquid (dressing...), and speaks up above other loud ingredients. Here, those shouters are hearty brassicas (brussels sprouts and broccoli), mustard, and pickled red onions (adapted from fiveandspice's recipe). Sausage wouldn't be an outsider here, either.

Seek out good bakery-quality soft pretzels here; they just have more pretzel flavor—though I've used the Super Pretzels from the frozen section (defrosted) and nobody's complained. —Ali Slagle

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Serves 4

For the pickled onions and mustard dressing:

1/2
cup warm water

1/2
cup plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1
tablespoon coarse sea salt

1/2
tablespoon sugar

1
red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

3
tablespoons grainy mustard

1/2
teaspoon honey

1
teaspoon red pepper flakes

4
tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the pickled onions: In a medium bowl, combine the water, 1/2 cup vinegar, salt, and sugar and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the red onion, make sure they're pretty much submerged in the liquid, and let stand for 30 minutes. They'll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for several weeks.

For the dressing, combine the mustard, honey, pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 4 tablespoons oil, and a healthy pinch of salt and pepper in a jar. Shake to combine.

For the salad:

3
cups 1-inch chunks of big, soft pretzels

Olive oil, for drizzling

Flaky maldon salt, for coating

1
large head broccoli, floreted and stalk peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch coins

1/2
pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

1
teaspoon chopped rosemary

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4
cup roughly chopped dates

1/4
cup sauerkraut, as devoid of liquid as possible

4
tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Spread the pretzels out on a baking sheet, drizzle with a thin layer of oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.

On a second baking sheet, combine the broccoli, brussels sprouts, rosemary, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then, add 2 tablespoons of the dressing to the mixture and toss so the vegetables are evenly coated. Hold onto the rest of that dressing.

Stick both trays in the oven. Bake the pretzels until they're crisp but still give to a touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer them to a big bowl. Keep the vegetables in the oven until they're also tender yet crisp, a further 10 or so minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the pretzels, then throw in the dates, sauerkraut, and 1/4 cup (or more) of pickled onions. Thin out the reserved dressing with 1 tablespoon of the pickled red onion liquid. Then add it to the salad and toss to combine. Add the parsley, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, then serve.

I did a lot of modifications to the recipe but it was still fantastic because there's so much flavor and texture variation. I used the pickled onion exactly. I substituted maple syrup for honey in the dressing. I skipped the Maldon salt, Brussels sprouts, and rosemary.